Maximize Your Membership—Volunteer for SEMA Councils and Networks

By Clayton Drescher

	Anyone interested in contributing to the strategic goals of SEMA may consider serving as an elected select committee volunteer of a council or network.

For more than 50 years, SEMA has been a volunteer-focused organization. In fact, the association would not have been founded were it not for the volunteer efforts of leaders in the automotive aftermarket banding together to both protect and promote their common interests. In the early ’60s, before SEMA itself even existed, many of the founding companies we all know and recognize joined forces to clarify specifications for performance parts and negotiate brand licensing for toys and models.

That volunteering tradition continues through SEMA’s 10 councils and networks that represent nearly every niche present in our industry. Over the years, members have created a variety of valuable benefits and tools for their peers to use to strengthen their businesses, hone their skills and grow their knowledge base. These benefits and programs exist because passionate industry professionals stepped up, volunteered and got things done.

Volunteering for a SEMA council or network does not mean you have to take on the equivalent of a second job. You can engage by volunteering a few hours at SEMA Show events, contributing to open membership meetings or working on a short-term task force. Anyone interested in contributing to the strategic goals of SEMA may consider serving as an elected select committee volunteer of a council or network.

An online resource has been created to introduce potential volunteers to the work the various groups are doing. You can learn more about each of the 10 groups through an easy-to-understand summary. Veteran SEMA volunteers share their experiences in a series of interviews that describe the value they see in giving back to the industry—and how they’ve benefitted personally and professionally from their volunteer work.

The leadership of SEMA’s councils and networks are inviting you to get more involved, to give back and to contribute to the future of your industry. For more information on the councils and network and to fill out a volunteer profile that will help you find a way to get engaged, visit www.SEMA.org/councils.